The Trump administration is ceding the United States’ long-held climate leadership role to China, leaders from the coalition America Is All In have said, in response to the US president’s remarks to the United Nations General Assembly.
America Is All In’s co-chairs, California governor Gavin Newsom, Illinois governor JB Pritzker, Cleveland mayor Justin Bibb, and Gina McCarthy, former White House national climate advisor and EPA administrator, among others, issued a statement following Trump’s address to state that the current administration is “abdicating US leadership, allowing China to dominate the clean energy market, and turning a blind eye to the health, environmental, and economic challenges of climate change.
“They are isolating the US, amplifying threats to our national security, and taking away our ability to shape how trillions of dollars are spent that our businesses and economy depend on.”
During his lengthy speech at the UN General Assembly, the US president claimed that clean energy is costly and unreliable, linking emissions cuts to job losses, as well as decrying what he described as the “global warming hoax”, adding that efforts to stem climate impact are a “con job”.
‘Refuse to walk away’
The America Is All In coalition encompasses the leaders of cities and states that collectively represent around three quarters of US GDP, with the co-chairs adding that they “refuse to walk away from the global table”, pledging to work closely with the UN, with international partners, and the private sector to continue to move the needle on positive environmental policy.
“At COP30 and beyond, we will use our platforms to inform negotiations, showcase US innovation, build partnerships, and pursue creative financing to strengthen our resilience and address the heartbreaking disasters, food and water challenges we face in the US and across the world,” they added.
“Clean energy is where the world is headed, and US states, cities, businesses, and institutions won’t walk away from this opportunity to increase innovation, attract investments, create good-paying jobs, and advance the health, well-being, safety, and security of communities all across America.”
America Is All In has described itself as the ‘most expansive coalition of leaders ever assembled’ dedicated to climate action, mobilising participation from thousands of entities, including local governments, tribal nations, businesses, schools, and cultural institutions. Read more here.
